What do you think of America?

[Maciamo]

The GNI per capita of the UK is $25,510 Germany is US $22,740 and that is about as good as it gets, France is lower, Italy is less than $20,000 and Spain struggling with work problems at a GNI per capita of $14,580 all of these numbers averaged are far less than $15,000 per capita.

I think you should revise your statistics. You might want to check the Economist for example (of course the data is for 2002, as it takes time to calculate each year).

France, Germany, Italy, the UK, Benelux countries, Denmark and Sweden have a similar GDP/capita, all above 25.000$ in 2002 (when the US$ was much stronger than the euro, but it's the opposite now). Luxembourg has the highest GDP/capita in the world. Because GDP/capita doesn't mean anything in itself due to the high fluctuation in exchange rates, you should compare GDP/capita at PPP (purchasing power parity). In that case, EU countries are much nearer to the US, with Luxembourg, Norway and Switzerland well above (although the 2 last are not EU members yet).

The EU has a whole totalize 9,613bn euro in GDP, compared to 10,446bn US$ for the US. At current rate the EU's GDP is US$ is thus 11,642bn, which makes it the biggest economy in the world (and the euro has been 10% higher a few month ago).

The basic fact still is that the European Union is not a Country.

Country or not, it is unified economically.

I don't know what are you criteria for a "country", but the EU has a national flag, anthem, parliament, government, currency, central bank, passport, visa (foreigners apply for EU visas in the 15 countries Schengen area), nationality (since 1992), etc. It is very federalised with a lot a decentralisation, but even culturally, linguistically or historically it is surely as much a country as India or China. What is more people like me feel European, and that is enough to cross the final step to call it "country".

 

[Morfos]

Those who bash America in other countries are correct. The majority of Americans are rightists who are both arrogant and ignorant. Americans do not tolerate the other point of view (the left). Americans are ignorant about the world off of their shores. They think that their moral viewpoints are universal. And as the legal system goes, justice is the equivilent to revenge. Americans put harmless people in jail for victimless crimes in the name of revenge and their God. Most will lash out at anybody who disagrees with their conservative viewpoints. Americans assume that if you disagree with punishing someone, then you must think its ok. Americans are narrow-minded and only see things their way and in black and white, good and evil. The police state is oppressive, and the government is increasing in power. The government also tells people what teenages can do with their own bodies. And most Americans think the government isn't doing enough! I feel like moving from this country as fast as possible.

 

[mad pierrot]

Wow, is there anything you left out?

You forgot to add that all Americans are gun crazy cowboys, love Brittiny Spears, and drive pick up trucks.

 

[Brooker]

Morfos wrote....

Americans are narrow-minded and only see things their way and in black and white, good and evil.

I'm with you about the things you disagree with in America, but it's a little "narrow-minded" to say that ALL Americans think that way. I don't. People don't realize how many Americans are really upset with the way things are right now.

 

[Lina Inverse]

American people are fine, but the American government system is complete crap. It used to be good, but it fell in the hands of the wrong leaders to control it.

I generally agree, most US people I met online this far were fine, but there's also a good share of f*cked-up prude retards among the Americans (probably more than in any other country, I'd say), and many seem to think that they're the best thing since slice bread, so they think they have to go and americanize anything they can get their grubby paws on. Luckily they got a damper now when they tried to americanize the Iraq. Hopefully they'll learn something from it.
I don't agree with the "used to be good" part. It never was all that great to begin with, and especially since Bush is president, everything's going totally down the drain :relief:

@den4
Yes, the "All your base" video fits the US very well

 

[Buddha Smoker]

Hey I'm American and I agree with just about everything said except for the part that we smell like old gym socks. If I see the person that said that then it will be POW straight to the moon. OH WAIT...nobody said that..well they should have...just kidding.

One thing about Americans is that they have a lot of pride in the bad way which obstructs views and opinions. The US should learn from mistakes but it seems to me that they aren't which is another reason why I hate being called an American (because we are doing it to ourselves). I think a lot of Americans are close-minded and not open to new experiences which I hope changes but then again I live in Japan and will never return to the States again so I guess it doesn't affect me too much. :wave:

 

[chiquiliquis]

I think it's safe to say that America is going through it's adolescent formative years. America is a young country still--and has not learned many of the lessons I think many other Nations have. By my calculations, America is going through the teen-ager, "I don't need you! I don't need your rules and lectures! I don't need your sympathy! I know it all! ME ME ME!!!"--period. Teens can be extremely thick... but over time they (can) mature--not to say they always do.

Yeah... I know many prude retards back home...


:souka:

 

[Duo]

Personally I have a deep affection for the United States. I have many American friends whom are all normal people like you and I, and whom I get along with wonderfully. As a country on the whole, no one can deny the greatness that the US embodies. Trust me, it just takes a ferry to Liberty Island in New York to make you feel all warm and fuzzy with democratic ideals . To me the US is the greatest Democracy in the world. However, I do feel that like every other nation on the earth, the US has also its negative characteristics. For one, I feel that Americans in general should learn more about the world that sorrounds them so as to not be fooled by manipulations of certain politicians. I was irriated at this new anti-Americanism that rose here in Europe due to the war in Iraq. As an European myself, I feel that Europe owes a great deal to US because only just recently the US saved the Bosnians and the Kosovars from genocide at the hands of Milosevic while some Western European powers initially told the US to stay off cuz it was a domestic issue and just sat back and let thousands of innocent Bosnians to be killed at the hands of radical Serbs. And let's not forget WW1 and WW2, and the protection that the US gave Western Europe from the USSR and communism. Western Europe is today what it is due to the US. The EU is today a union of 450 million people also due to the US. The special realationship that the US and Europe have should not be damaged so severely just because of an arrogant administration. I also feel that the way many Americans reacted to European criticizm, espeically French, was stupid and plain arrogant. The French know the area of the Middle-East much more in detail than the US, so perhaps it would have been wise for the US to take some advise from the French and other European allies.

That said, I think the US has some major problems in the following areas:

Foreign Diplomacy. US foreign dimplomacy is often influenced by domestic factors that have many times pushed the US to take wrong decisions.

Social Conditions. I feel that the education system, the financial aspect of universities and colleges, needs heavy reform because it's way too expensive. Also social welfare, medical, dental, welfare etc, is a little scandalous. Medical bills in the US are way too expensive and have driven many people to poverty.

Umm that's all i have to say for now i think :relief: